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dc.contributor.authorPonticiello, Matthew
dc.contributor.authorMwanga-Amumpaire, Juliet
dc.contributor.authorTushemereirwe, Patricia
dc.contributor.authorNuwagaba, Gabriel
dc.contributor.authorNansera, Denis
dc.contributor.authorKing, Rachel
dc.contributor.authorMuyindike, Winnie
dc.contributor.authorSundararajan, Radhika
dc.date.accessioned2023-08-03T10:13:49Z
dc.date.available2023-08-03T10:13:49Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.identifier.citationPonticiello, M., Mwanga-Amumpaire, J., Tushemereirwe, P., Nuwagaba, G., Nansera, D., King, R., ... & Sundararajan, R. (2022). How informal healthcare providers improve uptake of HIV testing: qualitative results from a randomized controlled trial. AIDS, 36(8), 1161-1169.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir.must.ac.ug/xmlui/handle/123456789/3061
dc.description.abstractObjective: Uganda is HIV-endemic with a prevalence of 5.7%. Lack of epidemic control has been attributed to low engagement with HIV testing. Collaborating with informal healthcare providers, such as traditional healers, has been proposed as a strategy to increase testing uptake. We explored acceptability and implementation of an HIV testing program where traditional healers delivered point-of-care testing and counseling to adults of unknown serostatus (clinicaltrials.gov NCT#03718871). Methods: This study was conducted in rural, southwestern Uganda. We interviewed participating traditional healers (N=17) and a purposive sample of trial participants (N=107). Healers were practicing within 10 kilometers of Mbarara township, and 18+ years old. Participants were 18+ years old; sexually active; had received care from participating healers; self-reported not receiving an HIV test in prior 12 months; and not previously diagnosed with HIV-infection. Interviews explored perceptions of a healer-delivered HIV testing model and were analyzed following a content-analysis approach. Results: Most participants were female (N=68, 55%). Healer-delivered HIV testing overcame structural barriers such as underlying poverty and rural locations that limited use, as transportation was costly and often prohibitive. Additionally, healers were located in villages and communities, which made services more accessible compared with facility-based testing. Participants also considered healers trustworthy and “confidential.” These qualities explain some preference for healer-delivered HIV testing, in contrast to “stigmatizing” biomedical settings. Conclusions: Traditional healer-delivered HIV testing was considered more confidential and easily accessible compared to clinic-based testing. Offering services through traditional healers may improve uptake of HIV testing services in rural, medically pluralistic communities.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipUS National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Healthen_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherAIDSen_US
dc.subjectHIVen_US
dc.subjectUgandaen_US
dc.subjectTraditional Healersen_US
dc.subjectQualitativeen_US
dc.subjectCommunity-based interventionen_US
dc.titleHow informal healthcare providers improve uptake of HIV testing: qualitative results from a randomized controlled trialen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US


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